ESPN.COM TABS VCU’S HURT AS ONE OF WOMEN’S BASKETBALL’S FIVE-BEST POWER FORWARDS

Nov 10, 2011

RICHMOND, Va. – Less than two days away from tipping off the 2011-12 campaign, VCU senior forward Courtney Hurt continues to garner preseason recognition. In its annual season preview, ESPN.com ranked the Conyers, Ga., native as one of the five-best power forwards in all of college basketball.

Earlier this fall, Hurt was named to the prestigious John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 list, which represents the nation's best women's basketball players. She was also one of only 16 players in the country to receive votes on the Associated Press' five-player preseason All-America squad.

Hurt rewrote VCU's record books and gained national attention with a breakout junior campaign in 2010-11. She led the nation in rebounding (12.4 rpg) and double-doubles (25), while ranking second in the NCAA in scoring (23.2 ppg) last year. She set VCU's single-season marks in points (720), scoring average, rebounding (385), rebounding average, field goals (253), free throws (193) and double-doubles. Hurt, who was an Honorable Mention AP All-America selection, also set the Colonial Athletic Association's double-doubles mark and is one of 17 players in NCAA history to post 25 or more in one season.

Picked to finish second in the CAA, VCU returns four starters from last year's 19-12 squad, including a pair of preseason first team All-CAA players in Hurt and redshirt-senior guard Andrea Barbour. The Rams will look for their seventh-straight season opening victory Friday evening when they welcome High Point to the Verizon Wireless Arena at 4 p.m.